A community project to help Sikh households reduce energy use and carbon emissions is among 26 projects sharing £1.69 million Climate Challenge Funding, Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod announced today.
Guru Nanak Gurdwara’s Sangat Climate Change Initiative will cut the carbon emissions from the Gurdwara through the installation of energy efficient measures including insulation, LED lighting and secondary glazing. Additional project activities will help households of the Sikh Community in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas to reduce energy use and carbon emissions through home energy advice including multilingual resources. The project has been awarded £144,994.
The Climate Challenge Fund provides financial support for community groups to run projects to tackle climate change and help reduce their community’s carbon footprint.
Climate Change Minister Dr McLeod said: “Climate change impacts on every person on the planet and I know that the projects announced today will make a real and lasting difference at a local level. We all have our part to play in tackling climate change and I welcome the efforts being made by hundreds of communities the length and breadth of Scotland to tackle the impacts of a changing climate within their areas.
“Since the fund was established in 2008, we have invested £66.3 million in 756 community projects. Due to unprecedented demand for support, the fund is now closed to new applications. We will now review the success of the fund and consider how we can continue to support communities and our transition to a low carbon Scotland in future.”
Derek Robertson, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “Keep Scotland Beautiful has managed the Climate Challenge Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government since the Fund was established in 2008. In that time we are very proud to have supported over 500 community groups across Scotland to take local action on climate change.
“The full allocation of the Climate Challenge Fund shows an appetite from community groups across Scotland to tackle climate change at a local level. We look forward to supporting the latest groups awarded grants and to enabling many more community groups to take climate action in the future. We see it as part of our work to help make Scotland clean, green and more sustainable.”
The full list of CCF funded projects is:
The Leamy Foundation’s Carbon Sprouts project will establish a community growing space at St Mungo’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire. Additional carbon cutting activities include workshops to help the local community reduce food waste and to promote local and seasonal food. £63,649
Guru Nanak Gurdwara’s Sangat Climate Change Initiative will cut the carbon emissions from the Gurdwara through the installation of energy efficient measures including insulation, LED lighting and secondary glazing. Additional project activities will help households of the Sikh Community in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas to reduce energy use and carbon emissions through home energy advice including multilingual resources. £144,994
Glasgow East Women’s Aid’s Let’s Grow! project will establish a safe, community-led allotment where women and children in the East of Glasgow who have experienced domestic abuse can grow fruit and vegetables. As well as reducing local carbon emissions through increased production of local food the project will include workshops to help reduce food waste and to encourage consumption of seasonal and local produce. £30,523
Creetown Initiative Ltd’s Reuse Matters project will offer upcycled alternatives to traditional fashion and home goods in Mid-Galloway and the Machars. In doing this the project will reduce landfill waste and associated carbon emissions. The project will offer a free collection service using an electric vehicle and weekly workshops where the local community can learn how to upcycle items. £50,424
Too Good to Waste is a project run by Greener Kirkcaldy to build awareness, skills and opportunities for the local community to reduce waste by reducing, reusing and repairing. The project will carry out programmes of practical events and workshops in the community, backed up by community-based social marketing activities and engagement with other local community groups. £75,337
Awaz – The Voice of the Community’s Swap Shop and Climate Challenge Programme will help the South Asian community residing in the G41 area of Glasgow to reduce carbon emissions through tackling waste and improving energy efficiency. Monthly project activities include swap shops and a climate challenge programme to increase knowledge of energy efficiency, reducing, reusing and recycling. £52,153
Fyne Homes Ltd’s Energy Action for Tenants: Fyne HEAT project will help their tenants in Bute, Cowal, Mid Argyll and Kintyre to efficiently heat their homes. Tenants will benefit from energy efficiency advice provided by project staff and volunteers to support them to reduce home energy use, bills, carbon emissions and fuel poverty levels. £83,306
Green Feet is a project run by Food Fruition to help communities in Partick, Hyndland and surrounding areas reduce carbon emissions through growing their own food and reducing both food waste and car journeys. A new community growing space will be established at Dyce Park and support will be available to aid home growing and to tackle food waste. Further project activities include a car club and cycle training. £25,608
The St Bryce Kirk Centre in Kirkcaldy will upgrade lighting, insulation and draught-proofing to slash the Centre’s energy consumption and carbon emissions through the Action On Energy project. The project will also offer a series of activities including household energy audits and fuel efficient driver training to help the local community reduce their own energy consumption and carbon emissions. £57,740
The West Lothian Financial Inclusion Network’s Energy Advice Project will support vulnerable groups and those in fuel poverty to reduce bills, energy usage and carbon emissions. Project activities include home energy advice visits, seminars and roadshows in locations including Livingston, Bathgate and Armadale. £34,369
Al-Meezan Ltd’s Climate Change Grow and Recycle project will reduce local carbon emissions associated with food miles and waste being landfilled. A local growing space will be established at the Al-Meezan garden in Glasgow City. Workshops will be offered to support the community growing their own, reducing food waste, composting and recycling. £54,587
Giffnock Recycling Bike and Food Waste Reduction is a project run by local Community Interest Company Big Green Feet in partnership with Giffnock Business Improvement District. The project will collect food waste from local shops, restaurants and cafes by cargo bike instead of lorry and transport it to a new anaerobic digester where it will be converted into compost. The project will also raise community awareness of food waste through Giffnock Business Improvement District events and a marketing programme developed with local shops and restaurants. £54,142
Fyne Futures Ltd will run the Isle of Bute Closed Loop Food Chain project to reduce carbon emissions associated with food miles. The project will create local community growing space, offer home growing training, a pilot food waste collection service and accredited composting training. £37,066
Heart of Scotstoun Ltd’s A Greener Scotstoun project will offer practical learning opportunities and training to help local residents grow their own produce, eat more healthily, reduce food waste and increase recycling efforts. A community garden and polytunnel will be established at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre in Glasgow with food waste from the cafe providing a local source of compost. £73,600
Dr Spence Memorial Hall Committee’s Udny Energy Efficiency project will install energy efficient measures at Udny Green Hall, in Ellon, Aberdeenshire to reduce energy use, costs and carbon emissions. Further project activities include workshops and home visits to inspire hall users and local households to reduce their own energy use. £150,000
Linktown Community Action Centre’s Philp Hall Energy Challenge project will install energy efficient measures in the Philp Hall Community Centre in Linktown, Kirkcaldy, making the building easier to heat, thus reducing its running costs and carbon emissions. The project will also offer local householders the chance to save energy in their homes through home energy advice visits, an exhibition and workshops with groups that use the Hall. £58,310
Edinburgh World Heritage’s Green Heritage Project Part III will work with local communities both within and outwith the World Heritage Site in Edinburgh to reduce carbon emissions and create a more resilient and educated community with regards to sustainability. The project will also include energy efficiency DIY workshops, a sustainable food project in partnership with the National Library of Scotland, the creation of a Green Map with the University of Edinburgh and a new growing space in Huntly House courtyard. £41,638
Lanarkshire’s Community Climate Challenge is a project run by Lanarkshire Sports Club to reduce local carbon emissions associated with sports related activities. The project will encompass a sports kit and footwear recycling scheme, an eco-friendly bulk laundry system and the promotion of a car share initiative to change people’s travel habits long-term. £89,561
Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People Project (MECOPP) will support informal carers and those with a disability or long-term condition in Edinburgh and the Lothians to adopt a low carbon lifestyle through its Heat of the Moment project. Project activities include home visits and workshops to improve levels of home energy efficiency and recycling and to reduce food waste. As well as reducing carbon emissions and raising awareness of climate change the project aims to help tackle fuel poverty. £78,942
Living Active and Going Green is a project run by Andalus to install energy efficient measures at the Andalus building in the West End of Glasgow to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Measures to be installed include roof insulation, LED lighting and double glazed windows. The project will also offer energy efficiency advice to help local people save energy in the home and will promote use of lower carbon travel to the Andalus building. £98,816
Soulriders Cycling Association Scotland’s community-led Life-Cycle project will promote cycling within the BME community in Greater Glasgow. The project will help the community to reduce their car usage in favour of cycling or car sharing for short journeys, thereby leading to a reduction in carbon emissions. Project activities include cycle safety training, maintenance workshops, route planning assistance and a establishment of a bespoke car sharing scheme. £115,647
Cycling Links is a Recyke-a-bike project run by Fallin Community Enterprises in Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire that will work with schools, businesses and the wider community to help lead a shift away from car journeys to lower carbon cycle travel. Project activities include cycle training, bike maintenance classes, bike loan, fun community events and support for schools and employers to work towards ‘Cycle Friendly’ status. £149,063
Mull and Iona Sustainable Transport is a project run by Mull and Iona Community Trust to reduce the number of single occupancy car journeys on the island. The project will establish a lift share system and promote other lower carbon travel options such as a community minibus and cycling, particularly on routes not served by public transport. The project will also work to increase electric car use on the island by converting a vehicle to showcase and loan. £69,833
Small Steps Big Changes is a youth-led project to help young people throughout Tweeddale in the Scottish Borders live a more low carbon life. The youth steering group will be supported by Tweeddale Youth Action. Cycle training and maintenance classes will encourage travel by bike instead of car with bikes previously destined for landfill being reconditioned. Further project activities include a programme of awareness raising events to promote consumption of lower carbon, local and sustainable food. £66,110
RIG Arts Ltd’s Green Screen Scotland project will reduce landfill waste and be led by eco-committees at three Inverclyde primary schools. Pupils will learn how to reduce food waste and how other items previously destined for landfill can be upcycled into art and also create an animation information pack about their activities for other schools in Inverclyde. £45,082
Get Green Group is a youth-led project to reduce local carbon emissions and is supported by Lambhill Stables, a community-owned charity and emerging Development Trust, based in North Glasgow. A community garden and food education activities will promote local, lower carbon food while cycle training and maintenance workshops will encourage a shift towards active travel. The project also aims to reduce waste through reconditioning bikes destined for landfill and making art and jewellery from salvaged materials. £104,224
